Back in Austin for a little family gathering. Still one of the top cities in the US. Great food. Great music. Great nightlife. Great art. Great people. It almost doesn’t even feel like Texas here! ZING!

It’s hard to believe it’s only been 6-weeks since I first set down in Colombia. Ever since coming to Medellin it’s seemed like a second home. Maybe one day it will be! But for now, it’s time to pay our respects to Pablo Escobar, and then blow it out for the last night at B-Lounge.

After climbing up and then back down El Peñón we ventured into the quaint little nearby town of Guatapé. The colors and building facades here rival that of Antigua, Guatemala. And the warm sugar donuts filled with arequipe are to die for!

Another fun little city for a day trip outside of Medellin is Guatapé where you can climb the 649 zipper-like steps that are wedged between a crack that runs the length of the 385 meter tall El Peñón. The modern day steps are made of concrete and bricks, but the maze-like stairway that intertwines upon itself several times like a strand of DNA is said to be based on the original set of sticks that were wedged in place to allow the first climber (and then owner of the property) to reach the top.